I decided to write about my passion for gardening past, present and future.
I have been ill suffering with Lyme Disease since May 2003 but at last after long term antibiotic treatment getting my life back and can again enjoy my garden.

Thursday, 24 December 2015

Wishing all my friends a Happy Christmas and a healthy year to come.
The above photo was taken in my local woods in 2010 just a couple of minutes walk away. So far this year we have not seen any snow in fact it is the mildest December on record.

Monday, 29 June 2015

I adore Delphiniums years ago I had an allotment next to someone who grew Delphiniums for show - can you imagine an allotment of Delphiniums it was like being in heaven when they were in flower.One thing I learnt was that it is very difficult to cater for the needs of a Delphinium in a mixed border because they need so much protection from slugs and snails. So I find by giving them a bed to themsleves is by far the easiest way to grow them and enjoy their beauty.

Of course they don't actually have a bed to themselves - various plants have crept in, box edging grown from cuttings, a Sanders White rose from a cutting and several clematis crawl up the trellis behind the Delphiniums but then what would you expect in my garden

All have been grown from seed why wouldn't you when it is so easy and such lovely colours develop.

Sorry about the bindweed in my unkempt garden - I have since pulled it out but it will grow again in no time.

An old cooking apple tree to one side.

And to the other side a lovely Gleditsia one of a pair that arch over the path.

A view up the garden with Cottage Rose in the foreground. The Box encloses the vegetable beds as well as providing a Box box at each end giving me an opportunity to grow a rose in each one 20 in total.

Another view across the vegetable area although at this time of year it is more of a rose garden. Most of my roses are grown in this section of the garden. Amusing to think that gardeners used to try and persuade people to grow vegetables in their flower borders. I prefer to grow roses and other flowers in my vegetable beds. The borrowed landscape of the trees not only provides a good view and shelter from winds but also means our garden has a large number of birds and butterflies some of which are encouraged by the proximity of the copse.

Aviateur Bleriot is a delightful Rambler. Another David Austin rose which is no longer on their list.

Most of the 15 Ramblers in the garden and many of the 40+ shrub roses were bought through David Austin Roses, mostly over 30 years ago. Many of the Ramblers take very well from cuttings in late July, I put them in tall pots around the side and overwinter in a cold frame or the green house. Some of these cuttings I have shared with family and friends but several have been added to my own garden. It's surprising what grows from a cutting, provided you don't mind losing some and by then the disappointment of losing them is less, as there are other things to get excited about.

As you can see I have a lot to thank David Austin roses for and love looking through their catalogue and making a beeline for their stand at any of the flower shows, but nothing can beat the joy of growing roses in your own garden and walking through them every day especially in June enjoying their delicious perfume. I think maybe only 4 don't have a perfume such a shame blogger can't share that smell.

Saturday, 6 June 2015

There is always room for just one more clematis they can be hidden in the hedge or fence and then when they flower what a wonderful sight. Above is Pink Fantasy.

A closer look at Pink Fantasy

and even closer. It benefits by being in a bit of shade so that the sun doesn't bleach out the stripes.

This is such a treat I bought this many years ago and managed to take a cutting before the original plant died. It has taken many years to develop but this year there have been several flowers. These are exposed to lots of sun and so the petals are bleached. I think it is William Kennett.

Wadas Primrose a very early flowering large clematis.

Mrs N Thompson a real delight especially in a dark corner.

On the sunnier side of the arch is Clematis Rebecca performing very well.

More of Rebecca

Nelly Moser from a cutting fills a space on the fence.

Josephine

Marie Boisselot

A closer look at Marie Boisselot

Belle of Woking

Belle of Woking is quite a vigorous clematis.

Niobe rather hidden this year but such a lovely deep colour.

Somewhere to enjoy several of my clematis not just those behind the seat.

Ville de Lyon which I thought I'd lost by accidentally pruning too hard, so a welcome treat to see it this year.

Just some of the plants I couldn't remember the names of as I walked around the garden. Eucryphia Lucida to the right of the fir...

LYME LIFE written 2009

I started suffering with arthritis in mainly my large joints especially my knees 6 years ago. The symptoms varied and I remember saying that every joint was affected except my elbows to one doctor. I was told it would be hormonal and to take the usual supplements cod liver oil or glucosamine ( I would certainly recommend buying shares in the companies producing these supplements) They had no noticeable affect.

All my symptoms deteriorated significantly over a few weeks, 4 years ago. Hips shoulders and knees being the worst and I started with muscle weakness in upper arms and upper legs. I had difficulty standing and walking across a room. I was unable to walk upstairs and my husband was making plans to convert to a downstairs bedroom. I had seen 5 doctors and 3 Rheumatologists and put on steroids for Poly Myalgia Rheumatica diagnosis. I had been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS.

I have X rays and scans showing signs of osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis. I have been retired early from the Civil Service having lost my job not to mention my earning potential.

My illness seemed to progress through my body not affecting the same joints left to right at the same time. I had bursitis in left hip, right hip, left elbow. I had synovial thickening in both wrists. At that time I could not lift and hold a magazine so lifting a kettle I could only do if a third full and with two hands. Each joint in my hands fingers feet and toes were affected. I had swallowing difficulties and many other symptoms. None of this describes the endless and awful pain whenever I moved or the tiredness but inability to get quality sleep.

Two years ago my GP gave me Amoxicilin for a sinus/throat/chest infection. All my arthritis symptoms improved. The course ended the symptoms deteriorated I started a second course the symptoms improved. The improvement was more significant than when I had started taking steroids. This led my GP to suspect Lyme Disease. I laughed because we do not travel abroad but she said they had had other cases in the surgery in the early stages of tick bite and Erythma Migrans rash. She said, but you have not had a bite. I said oh yes I have I had two on my ankles with rashes, March 05 this was confirmed on her computer at the time I had seen a locum doctor. My worst symptoms were waking up feeling rigid and having to painfully flex every joint in my body before struggling to get up. The only other time I had experienced this was in May 2003 during a flu like illness like no other I had ever experienced. At that time I had a bite and similar rash on my right foot which lasted like the other rashes about four weeks. I had also consulted the surgery and it was dismissed as a virus. I walked our dog daily in the woods adjacent to our house where the deer roam, prime tick area.

Thus started my very lengthy search about Lyme Disease leading me through http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/ to a doctor who specialises in this illness. He confirmed my GP's suspicions. I never had a positive blood test but then they are antigen tests and there is much research that shows they are unreliable. In my case the year of steroids and many weeks antibiotics could have affected the results. So with a clinical diagnosis and following ILADS International Lyme and Associated Disease Society guidelines I continued on antibiotics for two years. Both my doctors continued to treat me despite the Health Protection Agency advising against long term antibiotics. I am now nearly 100% recovered I have no pain or muscle weakness. I can walk upstairs something I could not do for three and a half years. I can garden do house work and live a normal life. I still need to pace myself and with only a few months to 60 will not be looking to return to work.

Life is such a joy.

Sadly there is much controversy about Lyme Disease and doctors in UK are taught that it is so rare. Well where I live in Guildford I have been in contact with a dozen other people with it so perhaps not so rare as HPA would like us to believe. I am in touch with nearly 2000 other patients through a chat line Eurolyme most had been misdiagnosed with several other illnesses.

Look at UK charity http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/ if you want to read more about this illness. There are many MP's taking an interest in the problems surrounding diagnosis and treatment see above charity links into a recent meeting at the House of Commons.

Thank goodness there are some thinking doctors around who have courageously treated me against opposition and I have made such a miraculous recovery albeit rather a lengthy one.

One day there will be many more people who are helped with their chronic illnesses when IDSA starts taking note of what our courageous LLMD’s are doing following ILADS Guidelines.